HONOLULU (AP) — A group working to raise $2 million to bring the newly created Native Hawaiian constitution to a ratification vote by the end of the year says they’re running behind schedule.
Participants of a gathering organized by the Nai Aupuni who approved the constitution in February say a vote likely won’t come until later in 2017. They maintain that they are still moving forward with the ratification campaign at a grassroots level, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
The participants have had trouble reaching the $2 million goal after quickly collecting $70,000 a few months ago.
But participant Zuri Aki said he does not think the delay in the vote would have an impact on efforts behind the ratification campaign.
“I think the process to acquire greater political authority and to exercise self-determination and sovereignty has been one that Native Hawaiians have been patiently waiting for for quite some time — and with greater interest than ever before,” Aki said.
The Native Hawaiian constitution calls for a government representing descendants of indigenous people who lived in the islands before 1778, or Western contact.
A group of the participants along with former Gov. John Waihee decided to come up with the $2 million plan to educate Native Hawaiians about the new constitution, register new voters and hold a ratification vote by the end of 2016.
If the document were to be ratified, the funds would also pay for another election to choose officers for the new nation, including a president, vice president and 43 members of a unicameral legislature.
Waihee and others tied to the fundraising effort could not be reached for comment. While many participants said they are unaware of how much funds have been raised so far, Rebecca Soon said none of the money has been spent.
Rebecca Soon, a participant and Honolulu community and economic development consultant, said the group is continuing with community outreach efforts.
“So much has to be done before a (voting) date can be set,” Soon said. “Our goal is as much participation as possible. And the community needs to understand why we recommended what we did.”
Nai Aupuni is a private group that received grant funds from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a state agency. The group has faced legal challenges over claims that it held a race-based election and has been criticized for its efforts on the constitution.
The Protest Nai Aupuni group and the Aha Aloha Aina coalition claim the constitution is designed to meet requirements of a proposed federal rule to set up a federally recognized Native Hawaiian nation. Those groups say the Hawaiian nation would then be reduced to an Indian tribe and could lose nearly 2 million acres of land in the process.
